


Family Emergency

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-01-27
Updated: 2003-01-27
Packaged: 2019-05-15 23:04:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14799668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: A Bartlet is in trouble





	Family Emergency

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Family Emergency**

**by:** Joy   


**Characters:** Jed, Abbey, Elizabeth, and Annie  
**Category:** General, Other Characters  
**Rating:** YTEEN for some mention of violence  
**Summary:** A Bartlet is in trouble  
**Notes:** This is possibly the First story in a series. Depending on if I can get the rest of the stuff floating in my head down on paper.  
**Disclaimers:** Not mine. Anything you’ve seen on the show belongs to Aaron and his band of people. I’m just writing to write.  The song is by George and Ira Gershwin, from the 1930 Show "Girl Crazy"  
**Spoilers:** Don’t think so, or at least not any major ones 

* * *

"Tell me again why we’re not going to support the Domestic Abuse bill." CJ asked during a meeting late one Thursday evening. 

"It doesn’t do anything. And for the record we do support it. We’re not coming out against it, we’re just not endorsing it." Leo responded.

"We can’t turn our backs on this Every 9 seconds a women is domestically abused. This is a serious issue and we need to put the weight of the White House behind it, this bill needs to pass." CJ came back.

"You don’t think that I know this, but this bill does not do anything new. If someone writes a bill that truly addresses the issue then I will stand behind it 100%, and endorse it until I’m blue in the face." The President responded this time.

"I still think we need to support this one. We have to start somewhere and I honestly I think this can be our stepping stone." CJ responded passionately

The President thought about this for a minute.

"The rest of you are pretty quiet on this, what do you think?" He asked the others in the room.

"Sir, I’m with CJ on this." Josh was the first one to speak up.

"Me too." Toby added.

As the President looked questionably around at the rest of the staffers in the room they all began to nod in agreement with CJ.

"All right give me the weekend to review the information again and I’ll get back to you with my decision on Monday morning." He replied

"Does anyone have anything else?" Leo asked 

"No, Sir" was heard from everyone in the room.

"We’re done then. Have a good night and I’ll see you all tomorrow." President Bartlet said as he got up to head to the residence

As everyone was filing out of the room CJ caught up to the President.

"Mr. President." She called

"What can I help you with?" He asked as he stopped and turned towards her.

"The bill is going to come up in the morning briefing. How would you like me to respond?"

" Tell them that it is a serious and important issue to me, and before I make a decision I’m taking the time to thoroughly reviewing all the facts."

"Thank You Sir." She said as she turned to leave

"CJ." He stopped her. "I really so believe that this is important and I want to address it. And if someone wrote a piece of legislation that would really, truly do something about the issue. I wouldn’t think twice before supporting and signing it."

"I know."

"Okay then. I’m going to go up to the residence and you should go home too. Have a good night."

"Yes, Sir." CJ replied and then watched him walk away as she replied under her breath

"We could write it" before heading to her office to get her things. 

As Jed got to his room that night the phone started ringing. Since Abbey was in the shower he went over to the bed and picked it up.

"Hello"

"Grandpa, is that you?" a shaky and barely audible voice answered.

"Annie, what’s wrong?" Jed asked alarmed.

"It was horrible Grandpa." Annie sobbed.

"What was Horrible?"

"I hate him, how could he do this!" A very angry and frantic voice responded.

"Sweetie, I need you to calm down, I can’t understand a word you’re saying." Jed replied in a calm soothing voice.

"It’s Mom." She replied shakily.

"What happened?"

"It’s really bad."

"What’s really bad?"

"It’s Mom." She repeated

"What happened to your Mom? What happened to Liz?" he coaxed

At this Annie broke down hysterically and was unable to answer.

"Annie, are you there?" Jed waited a minute "ANNIE!"

"Grandpa." She replied timidly, to let him know she was there.

"Annie, listen to me. Where are you?" 

"We’re at the Hospital."

"Are you and Liz safe, are you in danger right now?" he asked keeping his voice as calm as possible.

"I think were safe here."

"All right, this is what I want you to do. Stay there, stay at the hospital. Are your agent’s there with you?"

"Yeah they’re here."

"Stay with them and make sure that your Mom has agents with her too. Can you do those things for me?"

"I can do that." She replied

"Good Girl. Now Your Grandma and I are on our way. We’ll be there as soon as we can."

"Get here quick, please."

"We will."

"Okay."

"We love you, and we’ll be there soon." Jed promised.

After they hung up he sat there with his hand still on the receiver trying to figure out what happened. Abbey walked out of the bathroom about this time. She knew from the way Jed looked that something was not right.

"Jed, who was on the Phone, what’s wrong?" she worried.

"It was Annie, she’s hysterical."

"What Happened?" Abbey asked the worry in her voice growing.

"I’m not sure exactly. All I know is that she and Elizabeth are at the hospital and that what ever happened it’s really bad."

"Oh God!" Abbey breathed as she sat down before she fell over.

"I told Annie, that we would be there as soon as we could."

"I’ll get our stuff we’ll need. You call and get it ready so we can leave." Abbey said as she regained her composer.

Fifteen minutes later they were boarding Marine One to take them to New Hampshire. The Helicopter would land right on the roof of the hospital. Leo told Jed not to worry about anything in Washington. He promised he would take care of everything. All Jed needed to do was concentrate on Liz.

As soon as they got to the Hospital, they went off in search of Annie. They found her huddled on the floor in the corner of an exam room in the ER with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around herself. Her entire body shook, while she rocked slowly back and forth. They immediately gathered her up protectively between them.

"Annie" they both said at once.

"Grandma, Grandpa?" she barely got the words out before she began sobbing uncontrollably.

Annie seemed as if she was a five-year-old lost child, rather than the fifteen-year-old young woman that she was. With her Auburn hair and dark brown eyes she looks exactly as Elizabeth had at fifteen. With Jed and Abbey there she started to relax and was able to calm down. 

"Can you tell us what happened Sweetie?" Abbey gingerly asked.

"I’ll try." Annie replied as the three of them sat on the bed together.

"It was almost 7 and Dad wasn’t home yet. Mom and I had been really worried about him because he was supposed to be home at 4. He never called to tell us he would be late, and when we called his office they said he never showed up there either. He’s never missed work, and he’s never been late with out calling before. We thought something horrible had happened. Then a little after 7 Dad came home and he was drunk, I’ve never seen him drunk before. I know that he had had an alcohol problem in the past, but he’s been sober since before he met Mom. He changed tonight; he was nothing like the Dad I’ve always known. As soon as he walked in the door Mom knew he was drunk, she asked him politely to leave and come back when he’d slept it off. He refused and that’s when it happened." Annie Started

"That’s when what happened?" Jed coaxed

"That’s when he got Violent. He started hurting Mom. At first he just hit her a bunch of times then it got really bad. He through her up against the wall and started hitting her with things. I had been in my room, watching from the door. I was so scared I couldn’t move, I wanted to but I couldn’t. As she started to get up he pushed her down the stairs. After she hit the floor at the bottom he ran downstairs and hit her some more. He started yelling that he was going to kill her. Mom couldn’t move, he still didn’t stop he just kept on hitting her; she couldn’t even defend her self anymore. I had to stop him. As I was running down the stairs he started throwing things all over the place and was screaming like a mad man. When he saw me he came after me yelling that he would kill me too. I was terrified, but at least he wasn’t hitting Mom anymore. He grabbed my arm and started to hit me a couple of times, then he threw me into the wall. Instead of hitting the wall, I hit my head on the table. When I started to get up he tried to hit me some more. But I started hitting him as hard as I could. I really thought he was going to kill us, he had a look of pure anger in his eye, I don’t think he even knew what he was doing. Then all of sudden he must have realized what was going on and what he was doing. He turned around and ran. As soon as he was out of the house I called for help. Mom was unconscious I couldn’t wake her up. I thought she was dead. I just laid there covering Mom with my body, so I could protect her in case he came back. The paramedics had to literally pull me off of her. It was so awful." Annie sobbed.

During her story Jed and Abbey held her as tight as they could. She was shaking uncontrollably. After she was done, they just held her and told her that she was safe know, and that they wouldn’t let anything happen to her.  You could see the ugly raw bruises on her arms. It was very visible where she had been hit on her face. On her right cheek you could see his fist print. As they held her Abbey started running her hand through Annie’s hair and discovered a very large, very deep gash on the back left side of her head from when she hit the table. 

"Annie, has anyone looked at your head?" Abbey worried.

"No, they tried but I wouldn’t let them."

"Why wouldn’t you let them?" Jed asked gently

"I was afraid, and I was really worried about Mom."

"What are you afraid of?" He asked

"That they’ll hurt me like Dad did."

"Will you let me look at it?" Abbey asked gently

"Yes." Came the quiet response.

Abbey carefully looked Annie over. Her head looked really bad.

"Sweetie, this needs cleaned out and stitched up." Abbey started. "If Grandpa and I promise to stay with you will you let a doctor take care of it?" She asked.

"Can you do it?" Annie asked timidly

"I would prefer to have one of the Hospital staff do it."

"You promise that both of you will stay with me?"

"We promise." Both Jed and Abbey replied.

"OK."

With that they were able to get the doctor that had tried earlier back, into the room to check Annie over. It took 15 stitches to close the gash in her head. She also had a mild concussion and multiple bumps, bruises, and minor cuts. For the most part she was physically okay, nothing major.

About half an hour after they had arrived someone had told them that Liz had been sent up to the OR and that as soon as there was any word on her condition they would let the Bartlets know. 

That had been almost two hours ago. As the three of them were sitting alone in the secure waiting room the door opened to reveal Ellie and Zoey.

"Aunt Ellie, Aunt Zoey!" Annie cried as she hugged both of them tightly.

"Hey Annie. How’s your head?" They asked in unison, seeing the bandage.

"It hurts, but I’ll be okay." She replied.

"Is there any word on Lizzie yet?" Zoey asked hopefully.

"No, but I expect that we’ll hear something soon." Abbey replied. 

And as if on cue the door opened again this time revealing a pair of doctors.

"Mr. President, Dr. Bartlet, Annie. I’m Dr. Timothy Renyolds and this is Dr. Jennifer Marlowe." The first doctor said as they came in.

"We’re Ms. Weston’s surgeons." Dr. Marlowe added. 

"How’s my Mom?" Annie questioned from between Jed and Abbey as the doctors sat 

down in front of the family.

"Elizabeth came in with a broken right cheek bone, a broken nose, a broken left wrist, a broken right tibia, along with several broken ribs." Dr. Marlowe listed.

"As a result of the broken ribs she also presented a punctured left lung, causing severe internal bleeding." Dr. Renyolds added.

"Thankfully we were able to repair the damage to her lung. She is currently in stable condition and we are very optimistic." Dr. Marlowe stated.

"So she’s going to be okay?" Zoey asked hopefully.

"We’re not completely out of the woods yet, but yes, we do believe she will pull through." Dr. Marlowe answered.

"When can we see her?" Ellie asked.

"You’ll be able to see her in about 15 minutes. She’s being moved to a room in ICU." Dr. Renyolds paused a moment. Then added. "We currently have her intubated, to help her breathe. The next several hours are very critical. We expect that by morning she will start breathing without the tube." He finished.

"Elizabeth has proved herself to be a fighter." Dr. Marlowe added.

"Thank you Doctors." Everyone said as they shook hands with doctors when they got up to leave. 

The Family was so relieved to hear that Liz would be okay.

Early the next morning in Washington CJ was giving her morning press briefing.

"CJ! CJ!" the press erupted trying to get her attention as she walked into the room

"If everyone will settle down, I’ll let you know what is happening." She said gaining control of the pressroom.

"At about quarter to 9 last night the President and First Lady boarded Marine One, to take them to Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire. Where their eldest daughter Elizabeth and their granddaughter Annie were admitted at 8:15. Annie was treated for a large, deep laceration, a minor concussion, and multiple bruises, and small cuts. After treatment she was released. As for Elizabeth she has been treated for several broken bones. She also underwent surgery for a punctured lung. And is currently listed in stable condition. Currently information on how their injuries occurred is not available." CJ finished her statement and waited for the questions to start. As soon as she was done the room erupted with everyone calling "CJ!" all at once. 

"Katie" CJ called on.

"Can you tell us the names of the doctors?" Katie asked.

"Yes, Elizabeth’s doctors are Dr. Timothy Renyolds, R-E-N-Y-O-L-D-S and Dr. Jennifer Marlowe, M-A-R-L-O-W-E." CJ replied as she looked through her notes.

"Mark" she called on next 

"Is it true that Mr. Weston was absent from the Family at the hospital, and that he attacked his wife and daughter?" He asked.

"He was in fact absent from the Hospital. He has been away on a business trip and was unable to be present. As for the other half of your question, as I already said Information on how their injuries occurred is not available at this time." She stated very firmly, and then added. "Folks, that’s all I have for you right now, I’ll see you again at the regularly scheduled 10am briefing." She finished, and quickly exited to her office before any of the reporters could catch up to her.

Sometime during the night Liz started breathing on her own. So when morning came they were able to remove the breathing tube. Even without the tube she looked horrible. The entire right side of her face was swollen and black and blue beyond recognition. Her nose was just as swollen, and you could tell just from looking at her that her right eye was swollen shut. Her lower lip was very swollen and split right in the middle. She had cuts and nasty ugly bruises everywhere. Her left arm and right leg were splinted, since they were still to swollen to put cast on them.

Only one person was allowed in with her at time so the five Bartlets took turns sitting with her. Around 9 that morning Jed was with her. 

Elizabeth loved Music especially anything by the Gershwins. She would listen to them every night when she went to sleep, and had since she was small.  As a baby it was the only way Jed and Abbey could get her to sleep. Her favorite song has always been ‘I’ve Got Rhythm." As he sat there, stroking her hair, he remembered how they would sing it together, it had been their special thing that only they did. It had been years since he had sung it. Singing to her seemed right just then.

            "In this fast and troubled world

            We sometimes lose our way

            But I am never lost

            I feel this way because…

            I got rhythm,

            I got Music,

            I got my girl, 

            Who could ask for anything more?

            I've got good times, no more bad times 

            I've got my girl 

            Who could ask for anything more?

            Old man trouble 

            I don't mind him 

            You won't find him 'round my door 

            I've got starlight 

            I've got sweet dreams 

            I've got my girl 

            Who could ask for, who could ask for more? 

            

            Old man trouble 

            I don't mind him 

            You won't find, you're never gonna find him 'round my door 

            Oh, I've got rhythm 

            I've got music 

            I got my girl 

            Who could ask for anything more?"  Jed sang 

As he was singing Elizabeth began to wake up. How she loved this song, and she loved how her Dad sang it. She listened carefully and waited for her part. 

            "In this fast and troubled world 

            I've got rhythm, I've got rhythm 

            I've got rhythm, I've got rhythm 

            I've got rhythm, I've got rhythm" They sang together as they faded with each line. 

Then Liz began to sing the rest.

            "Days can be sunny, 

            With never a sigh; 

            Don’t need what money 

            Can buy. 

            Birds in the tree sing 

            Their dayful of song. 

            Why shouldn't we sing 

            Along? 

            I'm chipper all the day, 

            Happy with my lot. 

            How do I get that way? 

            Look at what I've got: 

 

            I got rhythm, 

            I got music, 

            I got my man - 

            Who could ask for anything more? 

            I got daisies, 

            In green pastures, 

            I got my man - 

            Who could ask for anything more? 

            Old Man Trouble, 

            I don't mind him - 

            You won't find him 

            'Round my door. 

            I got starlight, 

            I got sweet dreams, 

            I got my man - 

            Who could ask for anything more - 

            Who could ask for anything more?" Liz sang painfully, sounding stronger with every word. 

"Daddy" She said after she finished. That one simple word meant the world to Jed.

"Morning Baby. How do you feel?" He asked softly in reply, as he leaned over so she could see him through her good eye. He placed his hand gently on her left shoulder and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. She tried to smile reassuringly, but soon discovered it hurt too much, so instead she replied.

"Like I got hit by a freight train." 

At this Jed smiled a little, it was just like her to say something like that.

"I bet you do." Jed replied.

"Where’s Annie, is she okay?" Liz worried.

"She’s with your Mom and sisters in the waiting room. She’s okay." 

Liz let his words sink in. She was so relieved that Annie was all right.

"Daddy, it wasn’t the first time." She quietly said nervously.

"What wasn’t the first time?" Jed asked, slightly confused.

"It wasn’t the first time he hit me." 

"He hit you before."

"It was only a few times, maybe a total of 8 times if even that. It was never very hard, and 

he always apologized immediately after he did it. This was the first time he ever hit me in front of Annie, or any one for that matter. Did he hit her?"

"Yes." He simply replied

"I can forgive him for hitting me, but I can never forgive him for hitting my little girl. I’ve forgiven him in the past but not this time." She said with fear in her voice.

"Ssh, your safe now, Daddy’s here. I won’t ever let him hurt you two again." He reassuringly promised her her.

"I’m so glad you’re here. Please don’t leave. I’m scared." 

"It’s all right, I’ll stay right here."

"Thank you." Liz replied

"I know some people who would like to see you."

"If you get them, do you promise to come right back?" she asked carefully, almost afraid he might not.

"I promise, I’ll only be a minute."

Jed gave her another kiss before going out to get the others. It hurt him so much to see her like that, and in so much pain. If he ever saw Robert Weston again, he would tear him from limb to limb. Nobody ever does that to his girls and gets a way without suffering the wrath of Josiah Bartlet. 

When Jed reached the waiting room everyone looked up expectantly.

"She’s awake. And she’d like to see everyone, especially Annie."

They were all immediately out of their seats and heading for the door. Annie was so happy that her Mom was awake that she practically ran to see her. Everyone was close behind her. When they arrived to Liz’s room the Doctors were there making their rounds.

"Good morning Doctors." Abbey said, "Jed told us she was awake and we all wanted to see for ourselves." 

"Come on in, we’ll make an exception just this once and let every one in." Dr. Renyolds said as he waved them in.

"As we were just telling Elizabeth, we expect that she will make a full recovery." Dr. Marlowe said to the new arrivals. And then turned back to Liz and said, "We’ll be back in a few hours to check on you again, and to move you out of ICU." 

After that the Doctors headed out of the room to continue their rounds. As they left Abbey followed them. 

"I just wanted to tell you just how truly Thankful we are for everything you’ve done." Abbey said as she shook their hands. 

"You’re welcome ma’am, it’s our job." Dr. Renyolds replied respectfully and headed on his way.

Abbey then turned to directly address Dr. Marlowe, "I always knew you would make a wonderful doctor."

"Why thank you Ma’am, I didn’t think you recognized me." Jennifer said slightly stunned.

"It took me a while to place your face, but then I remembered this very quiet girl in the back of my class, Jennifer Andrews. It was then that I realized you must have married that loud mouthed know it all Fred Marlowe." Abbey relayed.

"Fred is a wonderful husband and father, he has his own private practice." She said, and then added, "He couldn’t handle surgery, he fainted 4 times during the first week of our surgical internship, he makes a much better pediatrician."

"I can see that in him." Abbey remembered as the two women shared a small laugh.

"I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you."

"Yes, you would. If I remember right, I gave you an A. And you earned it."

"You led me to surgery."

"All you needed was to find your field, and to have a little bit of encouragement."

"Thank you Ma’am, and I’m happy, that I was able to help Elizabeth."

"For that I am grateful." With that they shook hands and Dr. Marlowe started to head towards the next patient she needed to see. 

"She had the best hands possible working on her." Abbey called after her.

"Thank you." Dr. Jennifer Marlowe turned and said as Abbey turned and headed back into the room.

From the doorway she surveyed her family, realizing how lucky she was to have such a wonderful one. Jed was stroking Elizabeth’s hair back, Annie was sitting on the edge of the bed holding her Mom’s good hand very securely, as if they had plans to never let go. Both looked very relieved that the other was going to be okay. Ellie and Zoey were catching Liz up on the things that had been going on since they last saw her. As Abbey stood there watching them she knew that they would have a hard and very painful road ahead of them. But right then she knew deep down that everything would turn out just fine and for the better.

The End


End file.
